The 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference provided a dramatic stage on Thursday night as former Kurashiki standout Asaka Tamaru and ex-coach Shota Sato came face-to-face with their old squad, the Ablaze. The matchup offered a unique blend of nostalgia and competition as these volleyball veterans navigated the challenge with familiar faces on opposing sides.
Shota Sato, who previously served as an assistant coach under Hideo Suzuki, now leads the Farm Fresh Foxies as their head coach. Under his stewardship, Farm Fresh has embraced the Japanese style of play, a strategy he helped perfect during his time with Kurashiki. The 30-year-old tactician’s excitement was palpable as he witnessed his new team bring elements of Japanese volleyball to the Philippine courts.
"Now, I’m experiencing Japan-style volleyball again. With connecting balls and bringing the ball down, it feels great," Sato remarked through a translator. "I’m really happy because I want to blend Philippine volleyball with Japanese techniques for Farm Fresh."
Asaka Tamaru, a key figure in Kurashiki’s success and winner of a Best Outside Hitter award last year, also found herself at the heart of the action. Having previously played for ZUS Coffee in the Reinforced Conference, Tamaru is now donning the colors of the Foxies in the Invitational Conference. Her competitive spirit was evident as she faced her former teammates.
"I really regretted it because I wanted to win against the Ablaze, but we lost. Still, I enjoyed the experience, and it was good for Farm Fresh," Tamaru said, reflecting on the game.
The Foxies were thrust into the spotlight as a late replacement in the Invitational Conference, stepping in after Akari and PLDT withdrew less than a week before the tournament began. Despite the short notice, Sato was optimistic about the experience for his young squad, who are coming off a historic playoff appearance in the recently concluded Reinforced Conference.
“It will be a great experience for us, and we’re grateful to PVL and Boss Frank [Lao]. It was all so sudden, so we only had two days of training, which is why our performance wasn’t great, but we’ll gradually improve,” Sato acknowledged.
